Asian Meatballs with Rice Noodles

I am truly enamored of the palette of flavors found in dishes from Asia, especially Vietnam. It seems that even as you’re eating the food, the flavors change and deepen in your mouth. These Asian-style meatballs are a great example of that.

I got this recipe right on the first try, which is really unusual. I typically taste test something and immediately start thinking about how to make it better. Not this time. The sauce reminds me of the kinds of flavors you get in a good Vietnamese pho, but combined with the silky texture of a French demi glace sauce.

The key is to char some onions and ginger and add that to a cup or so of beef stock to make a base, which is further flavored with soy sauce, garlic, star anise and cinnamon. The aroma as that sauce cooks down and the meatballs simmer in it — just amazing.

While I made these meatballs for dinner, you could make some smaller ones for a nice small plate or for appetizers, with or without the rice noodles.

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